TOPEKA -- Speaking this afternoon, experts from the University of Western Topeka's newly-formed Foundation for Education And Research on Ebola (FEAR Ebola) have urged the public to remain calm and reject sensational media coverage about a potential Ebola outbreak in North America. "We are fortunate to have a robust and prepared medical response system in this country, and despite the hype, there remains only one person that has been diagnosed with the virus in the United States as of this afternoon," said D.R. James Miller, FEAR Ebola Director and Clinical Professor of Epidemiology at UWT Health. "While, unfortunately, this individual has now passed away, the risk of a mass outbreak at this point in time is infinitesimally small. There is no reason to panic, nor is any benefit brought about by doing so."

FEAR Ebola was created as a response to concerns from the general public about the potential impact of a large-scale outbreak, according to UWT Spokeswoman Frieda Vallery. Composed of faculty and staff from across the university, "its purpose is to encourage a measured, sensible public dialogue free of hyperbole and scaremongering."

The federal government has now instituted mandatory temperature screenings for arriving passengers at several U.S. airports, and other preventative actions are expected. One potential measure, according to Miller, might be to encourage Transportation Security Administration agents to undergo formal medical training and certification. "Every time I fly, the TSA agents basically give me a half-physical. They might as well get medically credentialed and go all the way," he suggested. While convinced of its efficacy, he admitted that such a plan was unlikely in the near future given the expense and "the inability of Congress to actually step up and react productively to any situation whatsoever. It's completely ridiculous; no wonder they have a lower approval rating than cockroaches and root canals. I'd have an easier time getting my three-year-old nephew to eat brussel sprouts than I would trying to get Congress to agree on anything...and believe me, my nephew HATES vegetables."

Closer to home, approximately three out of every four UWT students have sought treatment at the on-campus Student Health Clinic out of concern that they were infected with the virus, reported Director Sheila Duffy. "Of course, due to our mandate of using exclusively preventative medicine, we would be unable to treat anyone who is actuallyinfected, but we did confirm to all who came in that unless they have been in contact with the bodily fluids of an infected individual, they are at no risk of contracting it," said Duffy. "We will continue to pass along that information until WebMD or the CDC tells us otherwise."

FEAR Ebola experts will remain on call indefinitely for media inquiries and to update the public on further developments.

For questions regarding FEAR Ebola or the University of Western Topeka and its degree programs, please contact info@uwesterntopeka.org.

ABOUT THE UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN TOPEKA: The University of Western Topeka is one of Topeka's top three institutions of higher learning, currently ranked as third best university in the nation with a duck mascot. Offering bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees through its five colleges, UWT plans to offer Medical and Law degrees by 2015. The University awards increasingly prestigious Roads Scholarships and Noble Prizes on an annual basis and is home to an Art Institute, on-campus dry cleaner, and the world's only academic institution dedicated solely to narwhal research.